Salt is a dietary mineral and a staple seasoning in many people's meals.
Sodium is an element that helps to balance out the body's fluids.
It keeps minerals like calcium soluble in the blood and it stimulates muscle contraction.
The body needs about 2500mg of sodium a day (about 1tsp of table salt) but most people eat about 4000mg.
Too much sodium in the diet raises blood pressure.
This can cause heart attacks and strokes.
Excess salt intake also causes heartburn, osteoporosis and stomach cancer.
A sodium deficiency causes blood pressure to fall and causes muscle cramping, dizziness, nausea and weakness.
Watch out for high sodium content in processed and packaged foods as well as beverages and medications.
If you see on the nutrition facts label that sodium content is 20% or more of the daily value (DV) it is considered high.
Where as 5% is low.
Buying Sometimes low and no fat food is higher in sodium than its full fat counterpart because when fat is removed so is flavour and it needs to be compensated by something else, salt.
So if you are trying to lower your intake of saturated fat then stick to low fat foods but watch sodium intake in other food choices.
You can also buy low or no sodium foods just like you can buy low fat products.
Sides and toppings like low sodium soy sauce is a good choice because you don't really notice the difference and you can still enjoy food how you like it.
Cooking When you prepare canned products, rinse the food to remove excess salt from the packaging fluids.
It really makes a difference with foods like beans and chickpeas.
Stop salting the water in grains like rice and pasta.
It absorbs in to the food more.
Instead, lightly salt food when it is finished being prepared.
It will sit on the surface and actually bring out the flavor and aroma, instead of absorbing and losing taste.
According to a study published in 2007 in the Journal of the American Diabetic Association, the less salt you consume, the less your palate craves it.
Cutting back on salt is not very hard once you know how much you need and how to control amounts while you are buying and preparing food.
A little less sodium in the diet makes a big difference to your overall health and well being.
Sodium is an element that helps to balance out the body's fluids.
It keeps minerals like calcium soluble in the blood and it stimulates muscle contraction.
The body needs about 2500mg of sodium a day (about 1tsp of table salt) but most people eat about 4000mg.
Too much sodium in the diet raises blood pressure.
This can cause heart attacks and strokes.
Excess salt intake also causes heartburn, osteoporosis and stomach cancer.
A sodium deficiency causes blood pressure to fall and causes muscle cramping, dizziness, nausea and weakness.
Watch out for high sodium content in processed and packaged foods as well as beverages and medications.
If you see on the nutrition facts label that sodium content is 20% or more of the daily value (DV) it is considered high.
Where as 5% is low.
Buying Sometimes low and no fat food is higher in sodium than its full fat counterpart because when fat is removed so is flavour and it needs to be compensated by something else, salt.
So if you are trying to lower your intake of saturated fat then stick to low fat foods but watch sodium intake in other food choices.
You can also buy low or no sodium foods just like you can buy low fat products.
Sides and toppings like low sodium soy sauce is a good choice because you don't really notice the difference and you can still enjoy food how you like it.
Cooking When you prepare canned products, rinse the food to remove excess salt from the packaging fluids.
It really makes a difference with foods like beans and chickpeas.
Stop salting the water in grains like rice and pasta.
It absorbs in to the food more.
Instead, lightly salt food when it is finished being prepared.
It will sit on the surface and actually bring out the flavor and aroma, instead of absorbing and losing taste.
According to a study published in 2007 in the Journal of the American Diabetic Association, the less salt you consume, the less your palate craves it.
Cutting back on salt is not very hard once you know how much you need and how to control amounts while you are buying and preparing food.
A little less sodium in the diet makes a big difference to your overall health and well being.